Venetian blind



Jan. 13, 1942.

P. H. KUYPER VENET IAN BLIND Filed June 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l lill!! INVENTOR.

Jan. 13, 1942. P. H. KUYPER VENETIAN BLIND Filed June 30, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mwwl 'INVENTOR HZ ,Pezer er BYM "y /gf 'Patented Jan. 13, 1942 NT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND Peter H. Kuyper, Pella, Iowa, assignor to linirscreen Company, Pella, Iowa', a corporation of Iowa Application June 30, 1941, lSerial No. 400,448

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My present invention relates to a Venetian blind of the type having a sheet metal casing.

One object of the invention is to provide a rock shaft and rockers thereon foradiusting the ladder tapes of a Venetian blind, the arrangement being such that but small vertical space is required to secure considerable movement of the tapes.

More specifically, it is my object to provide overlapping bail means associated with a rock shaft in such manner. that pivoting of one bail is effected when the rock shaft is rocked rearwardly, and pivoting of the other bail is permitted when the rock shaft is rocked forwardly, to thereby permit more tilting .movement of the ladder tapes than can be securedv by attaching them to rollers or the like, which would have to, be of considerably larger diameter than the type of rockers I provide to secure the desired deg-ree of tilting movement.

A furthervobject is to provide a tilting arrangement which minimizes the vertical dimension of the casing for the mechanism and does so with a mechanism that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and extremely simpleto assemble.

Still a further object is to provide `a rock shaft land rockers thereon, both of which may beinexpensively manufactured of sheet metal, with a novel means of operative connection between the two.

Another object is to provide a relatively low head bar in the form of a sheet metal casing of less height than width, with tilting mechanism therein capable of tilting the blind to extreme positions where the slats `are tightly closed, due to suspending the slats on 'one tapeout of alignment with the center of the casing, with the other tape loose; the excessive movement necessary for such operation being provided by overlapping bail connections between the rocker members and the tapes.

With these and other objects in view, my invention with respect to its features which I believe to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. For a better detailed understanding of the invention, and fin'- ther objects relating to details of economy of my invention, reference is made to the following drawings wherein such further objects will de-A nitely appear, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a Venetian blind assembly embodying my invention, with the central portion of the structure cut away to conserve space on the drawings;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof on theline 2-2 of Figure l;

. Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3.

of Figure 2 to show the mechanism for rotating the tilting shaft; Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 to show the connection'between a' pair of shafts of the tilting mechanism;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line H of Figure 2, to show one of the rocker devices in its intermediate position, and

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view on the line i-I of Figure 2 to show it in different tilted positions.

0n the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference character C to indicate generally a casing. The casing C has a bottom wall Il, a front wall l2 and a rear wall I3. Reenforcing flanges Il are formed along the tops of the walls I2 and Il.

In the casing C and secured to the bottom v wall Il thereof are bearing brackets formed -of sheet metal having flanges I5', Il, I1 and Il and a web It, perhaps best shown in Figure 5. Each of these brackets has an upstanding perforated flange 2l at one end of the web Il (see Figure 2) serving as a bearing for a rock`shaft 2|. Thev rock shaft 2l is adapted to be manually rocked 4 by a tilting cord 22 wound on annum-23, which finis secured to a stubshaft 24. The stub shaft 24 is rotatablein a pair of perforated flanges 2l, having-a web at il secured to the bottom wall Il for support. The rock shaft 2l and the stub shaft 24 are geared together by a pinion 2l and a gear 2l. A friction clamp Il of sheet metal is provided for the stub shaft 24 and the frictionai, engagement may be adjusted by a screw il. The cross section of the clamp 29 is shown by dotted lines inFigure 3. The vtilting cord 22 has its center secured to 1 the drum 28 and its ends extending over a pulley tl and through an opening I! to the front of the casing C, as in Figure 3. The pulley 3l is journaied in a pin il secured as by spot weldins u to the casing bottom Il. The bottom n of the easing C is provided with tape receiving openings 3l and the tapes 3i of the Venetian blind extend upwardly therethrough as illustrated.A The rungs of the ladder tapes are indicated' at 31 and the slats at 3.."'The siats'll are shown as ofY thin sheet metal construction, with,l the exception of the lower slat il shown in Figure 4 which may be of wood or heavy sheet metal.

Thetapes I are folded at their upper ends as indicated at 4l, and a quick detachable means is provided for the fold in the form of a common pin 4I extended therethrough. The loop thus formed is pivoted to the cross member of a bail 42 and the two bails for the two tapes are arture or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope withous sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a Venetian blind,` a head casing, openings in the bottom thereof for the tapes of a tape low shape. Each rocker consists of a fiat or chord portion having at vits. ends downturned perfo- Y rated end members 45 of semi-disc shape. The

perforations are indicated at and receive the rock shaft 2i. 'I'he rock shaft 2| may be inexpensively formed of a strip of sheet metal rolled into tube form, providing a slot at l1. The chord portions M have instruck tongues 4I entering the slot I1 whereby to cause simultaneous movement of the rockers R. with the rock shaft. The tongues 4,8 are pushed into the slots after the rockers are located on the rock shaft -and fit the slot tightly, so that end movement of the rockers relative to the shaft is thereafter prevented.

The rock-shaft'2l has the gear 22 secured to one end thereof and the rock shaft is held against longitudinal movement in one direction by the adjacent bearing 20, and from movement in the other direction hy a washerl on the stub shaft 24 and engaging the clamp bracket 29, thus preventing movement of the gear 28 toward the left, in Figures 1 and 2.

In each bracket having the gearings 2li, I pro-y vide a guide roller 50 rotatable on a pin 5|. These are for the raising ropes 52 which extend `upwardly through openings 53 in the casing bot- In the operation of my Venetian blind structure. the blind may be raised or lowered in the usual manner by manipulating the raising ropes l2. 'Ihe blind m'ay be tilted by manipulating the rope 22, which eects rocking of the rock shaft 2l. .The intermediate position with the slats level or horizontal is shown in Figure 5. '.Ihe rocker members may be tilted to the full line position of Figure 6, much the same as an' ordinary drum type 'rocker which has thel ladder tape secured t'o it..lTllting beyond this position. however, will eifect an unfolding action of one ofthebails42.asshownby dotted lines,andthis gives considerable additional movement that could be otherwise secured only by having a rocker oi large diameter. The unfolding bail action is accordingly important from the standpoint of securing all the motion desired and at the same time keeping the height ofthe casing C at a minimum. It will benoted that when the extreme tilted position of Figure 6 is secured. the lblind slats lare tightly closed, with one of the twee-loose and the other-.one tight. to such an extentthat this tape only supports the blind, thusgsecuring a maximum ot closing action. Similarly, whentheblindistilted toanoppoite position. therother tape willsuspend the blind f' ,slstsintheirfuilycioeedpitiona -8u|n|e-eliangesmaybemadeinthecoxtrutionsndnrrsngementofthepartsofmydevice without departing from the real spirit and'purposeotmyinventiomanditismy intentionto ladder to extend upwardly into said casing, a shaft journaled between said openings, a rocker on said shaft, and means for connecting the tapes of a tape ladder thereto comprising a front bail and a rear bail, said front bail having one side connected 'to the front tape and its other side pivoted to said rocker hack of the shaft when the rocker is in intermediate position, said rear bail having its rear side connected to the rear tape and its front side pivoted to said rocker in front of the shaft when the rocker is in intermediate position, said balls overlapping each other whereby when the rocker is tipped rearwardly the rear bail'will pivot away from the rocker to permit excess movement of the rear tape and when the rocker is tipped forwardly the front bail will pivot away from the rocker to permit excess movement of the front tape.

2. In a Venetian blind, a head casing, openings in the bottom thereof for the tapes of a tape ladder to extend upwardly into said casing, a shaft journaled in said casing, a rocker on said shaft, and means for connecting the tapes of a tape ladder thereto comprising a pair of crossed balls, one of said ,hails having one side connected to the front tape and its other side pivoted to said rocker back of the shaft, and the other bail having its rear side connected to the rear tape and its front side pivoted to said rocker in front of the shaft.

3. In a Venetian blind, a hollow boxlike head bar, a series of spaced apart slats, ladder tapes engaging opposite edge portions of the several slats and extending through the head bar and y connected with actuating means therefor.

'whereby all of the several slats maybe tilted,

tions from opposite sides of said rockers to the4 yupper ends of said tapes. said rock shaft comprising a tube split along one side thereof and said rockers being formedv of sheet' metal from which tongues are struck to extend into the slot formed by said split.

4. In a Venetian blind structure, a hollow head bar, a series of spaced apart slats, ladder tapes engaging opposite edge portions of the several slats and extending through the head bar and connected with actuating means therefor whereby all of the several slats may be tilted, raising and lowering cords extending downwardly through the head bar and the several slats and connected in the lowermost one thereof, said actuating means comprising a rock shaft, rockers thereon, and overlapping bail connections from opposite sides of said rockers to the upper ends Aof said tapes. 4 5. In a Venetian blind structure. a rocker ele- 4 lment, a ladder tape, one strap of which extends upwardly along one side of seid rocker element and the other-,strap of which extends upwardly operative connection between said vrocker ele'- ment and the upper ends of said straps compriseoverbymycisimsanymodiedformsofstmcing crossed bell elements, each pivoted at one side to the rocker element and at the other side to the strap,

6. In a Venetian blind, a rocker member, a ladder tape, the straps of which extend upwardly along opposite sides of said rocker member, means for rocking said rocker member, and an operative connection between said rocker member and the upper ends of said tapes comprising crossed bail elements pivoted at one side to the rocker member and at the other side to said straps.

'7.-A Venetian blind comprising a support-in the form of a housing, means carried by said support and concealed therein for suspending a Venetian blind therefrom, said means comprising a rock shaft, rockets thereon, means for varying the angle of inclination for the Venetian blind by rocking said rock shaft and rockers, and connections between said rockers and the upper ends of the straps of the ladder tapes comprising bail elements extending through loops of the tapes, having their arms crossing each other and having terminal ends pivoted each to the rocker adjacent the side thereof opposite that for the strap ofthe respective bail.

8. A Venetian blind head member and a Venetian blind supported therefrom, said head member comprising a channel shaped sheet metal support, a shaft carried by and within said support and concealed by said supportfor suspending the blind therefrom, a plurality of rockers connected with said shaft and having the tapes of the blind extending'upwardly adjacent opposite sides thereof, and bail members from the upper ends of the tapes to the uping the operating mechanism of a blind having slats, ladder tapes'and raising ropes, said head unit construction comprising a sheet metal casing bent to form an upwardly opening channelshaped housingand support, a shaft carried by said housing and concealed between the walls thereof, bearing members for said shaft, said housing having spaced openings in its bottom through which the ladder tapes may vertically per edges of the rocker members, said bail memy bers crossing each other whereby to increase the possible travel of the tapes by unfolding action of the bails relative to the rockers.

9. An all-metal Venetian blind head construction for supporting and concealing -the operating mechanism of a blind, said construction comprising a sheet metal casing bent to form an upwardly opening channel shaped housing of greater width than height, a shaft 'journaled vin said casing. above the center thereof, pulleys within said housing for the raising ropes of a Venetian blind, said pulleys being located below said shaft, rocker members on said shaft comprising cylinder segments having the chord at the top of the segment in the intermediate position of the rockers, an'd bails pivoted at one of their ends to said rockers adjacent the intersection of the circumference and chord of the rocker and connected at their opposite-ends with the .tapes of a Venetian blind, said bails crossi ing leach other to effect` additional movement of said tapes in the extreme positions of tilt of the rockers. l

l0. An all-metal Venetian blind head construction for supporting and concealing the operating mechanism of a blind, a sheet metal casing bent vto form .an upwardly opening channel shaped housing of greater width than height, a shaft journaled in said casing above the center thereof,` rocker members on said shaft comprising cylinder segments having the chord at the top of the segment in the intermediate position of the rocker, and bails pivoted to said rockers adjacent the intersection of the circumference and chord ofthe rockers and connected with the tapes of a Venetian blind, said bals being arranged to cross each other.

11. An all-metal Venetian blind head unit conconceal- ,.75

struction for receiving, supportingl and extend and having other openings through which the raising ropes may vertically extend, means of connection between said rock shaft and said tapes to cause movement of one side of the ladder tapes upwardly while the other side simultaneously therewithv moves downwardly, means supported Within said housing for guiding the raising ropes, means for'eifecting rotation of said rock shaft, said means of connection comprising rocker members having the tapes extended to points above their centers when the rockers are in intermediate positions, overlapping means of connection between said tape ends and the opposite sides of said rocker, and pulleys for said raising ropes below said rockers.

12. A tipping device for Venetian blinds consisting of a support and a rotatable hollow shelllike member, a rock shaft for supporting said shell-like lmevmber, said shell-like member having a cylindrical part and a ilat part forming a chord of the circle defining the cylinder, and bail connections from the intersections of the circumference and chord of the shell-like member to the upper ends of the tapes of a tape ladder, said connections'crossing each other for unfolding action in the extreme tipped positions.

13. A tipping device for Venetian blinds consisting of a support and a rotatable hollow shelllike member a rock shaft for supporting said shell-like member, said shell-like member having a cylindrical part and a flat part forming a chord of the circle dening the cylinder, bail connections between the intersections of the circumference and chord of said shell-like member to the upper ends of the tapes of a tape ladder, said bail connections crossing each other for unfolding action in the extreme tipped positions, said rock shaft being longitudinally slotted, and a tongue from said shell-like member into the slot tofix the member againstl rotation relative to the shaft.

14.- A tilting device for Venetian blinds consisting of a rotatable hollow thin metal shell havinga substantially cylindrical part, a chord part shaft therefor, bearingsfor said rock shaft intermediate the ends of said head bar and adjacent said openings, said` rocker members having Venetian blind ladder tapes located on oppositesides thereof and having attened portions at the top in the intermediate tilting position, crossed bail members connecting vsaid tapes with opposite edges of said ilat portions,` said rocker members being operable to raise one ladder tape and simultaneously .therewith lower its companion ladder tape upon said rock vshaft being tilted, and raismembers.

ing rope pulleys mounte'd stationary relative to said head bar and located below said rocker 16. In a Venetian blind, a casing, means within said casing for suspending a Venetian blind comprising plural ladder tapes and slats and means within said casing for tipping said slats, said last means comprising cylinder segment-shaped rockers, and means of connection between said rockers and said tapes comprising overlapping bail connections, said rocker members being adjustable to one position supporting one tape of the ladder tape loosely and the other side thereof taut whereby the' slats .will assume a position of .suspension adjacent the side ofthe casing from which the tape member that is taut extends to effect maximum closure of the slats.

17. In a Venetian blind support for a Venetian blind having ladder tapes and slats, a casing,

sure thereof being suspended in a position out of the normal vertical plane of the blind and by one side only of said ladder tapes, said means comprising semicylindrical rocker members. and

means therein for suspending the two sides of 20 said ladder tapes for either holding the blind overlapping bail connections between opposite edges of the chord portion of the rocker and the upper ends of the ladder tapes.

18. A tilting device for Venetian blinds consisting of a rotatable hollow thin metal shell having a substantially cylindrical part, a rock shaft extending through said shell, a housing. said rock shaft being Journaled therein. and ladder tapes of a Venetian blind extending in contact with said cylindrical part on opposite sides of said shell and having their upper ends connected by overlapping bail means with said shell.

PETER H. KUYPER. 

